FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

November 22, 2015Commitment

 At it’s best, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family and love. It is also a time to remember and salute, those who are no longer with us, and on whose shoulders we stand. Today, I bow to my creative mom. She was a poet, of sorts, with not much of a filter and was […]

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Valentine's earthquake kit

Valentine’s “Earthquake” Kit

February 9, 2015Blog

February 9, 2015 This Love Doctor speaks with authority and is sure that romantic relationships are worth every bit of the trouble they cause. They do need to be cared for and cherished, however. If I made the rules, every single couple would have a piggy bank prominently displayed their home…. a special and unique […]

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2015

“WOOP” It Up In 2015

December 29, 2014Blog

December 29, 2014 Do you “wish” some part of your life were different? Around the turn of a new year, most of us at least, think about, thinking about these kinds of things. Unless you believe in magic, you also know that you are going to have to do something different if you want things […]

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kissing

Kissing Lessons… Movies and Mistletoe

December 19, 2014Blog

December 19, 2014 “How to Kiss,” beat out “How to crochet,” barely, as the most frequent “how to” question asked, according to Google. “How to crochet” came in as a close second this year. I’m not making this up. With so much mistletoe around, I thought it was worth mentioning. Do people really need kissing […]

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turkey

Tame Those Turkeys

November 24, 2014Blog

November 24, 2014 Have a relative you’re not looking forward to hanging out with this Thursday? You’re not alone. Maybe you even love that person, but his/her likely behavior when the family gathers, is intolerable to you. Here’s a few things you can do to make things better: 1. If Old Uncle What’s-His-Name starts in […]

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ny

New York, Salvation Army Ladies and Phony Weddings in Paris

December 8, 2013Blog

December 8, 2013 I’m on an airplane, on the way home from New York. Yes, again. The pull to spend time in my hometown remains persistent. For me, it is energizing to pound the pavement… beats a treadmill any day. I always expect something wonderful to happen. Sometimes it does. The Christmas windows at Bergdorf, […]

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Thanksgivakah

“Thanksgivukah”

November 30, 2013Blog

November 30, 2013 Jews celebrated Thanksgiving and Hanukah together this year. The Hebrew calendar just worked out that way. The second night of Hanukkah was dubbed, “Thanksgivakah” . At first, it all sounded too weird to think about. Especially since it has never happened before in my lifetime and is not about to happen again […]

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ghost stories

Ghost Stories of the Heart

October 30, 2013Blog

October 30, 2013 Maybe it’s because it’s Halloween. Or maybe not. Just seems that everyone has a ghost-sighting story to tell and that all too often, the stories have something to do with romance.. “Brett’s” mom died twenty years ago, but he insists she came to him in his sleep with a clear message: “Marry […]

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fireworks

Fireworks

July 3, 2013Blog

July 3, 2013 I’ve always loved fireworks on July 4th; so don’t call me a spoilsport as you read this. “Fireworks,” just takes on different meaning in the world of family counselors and psychologists. If you’ve been in a relationship for any length of time, you know what I mean. Could you do a better […]

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april 1st

April Fools

April 1, 2013Blog

April 1, 2013 “Jen” sort of cried, “Yes, I love him. For sure, more than I did yesterday. Yesterday, “Chad” was a jerk again.” What did he do? “He flirted with a waitress. I hate when that happens.” Maybe he was just being nice, “Jen.” Don’t you hate it when you see people acting “entitled” […]

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serious?

How “Serious” is Your Relationship?

February 14, 2013Blog

February 14, 2013 Do you remember when you decided that your love relationship became “SERIOUS” Do you remember what you told your friends, your parents? By “SERIOUS,” I don’t think you meant “grave”, or “stern” or “humorless.” You were in love and it was fun. That’s what you were trying to communicate. “He’s special.” “She’s […]

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50 kisses

“Fifty Kisses” Screenplay Contest

January 31, 2013Blog

January 31, 2013 I’d love for you to read my Valentine’s script and give me some notes! “Fifty Kisses.” Think about it. I just couldn’t resist entering this contest because it felt like the perfect challenge for this love doctor, who also happens to be a closeted screenwriter. The task: To write a complete screenplay, […]

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My Valentine

To My Valentine

January 16, 2013Blog

January 16, 2013 Dear Valentine, I know you are worried about what to give me for Valentine’s Day, so let me give you a few hints. No chocolates, please. I love chocolates, and I will not be able to resist them. Save me from that. Please. I do not want cut flowers because they die […]

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Be Kind

Random Acts of Kindness

December 29, 2011Blog

December 29, 2011 Random Acts of Kindness – Seven out of ten pet owners bought their pets holiday gifts. It must be true because I read it on Facebook! I also read a story in the New York Times on Sunday, about a single mom and her teen age kids, all veterans of Christmas morning […]

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grinch

The “Grinch” Who Stole Valentine’s Day

January 28, 2011Blog

January 28, 2011 Ever hear of Bugs Moran? He was one of the seven guys killed in the 1929 massacre. The one masterminded by Al Capone in Chicago, on Valentine’s Day! Capone had arranged for the “special valentine” to be delivered to his rival gang. Moran and his men were riddled with bullets from a […]

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optimism

Optimism Intact

December 23, 2010Blog

December 23, 2010 Optimism Intact – I’m a morning person. I wake up every day, okay almost every day, full of hope. I like to think I don’t exactly sit around waiting; I’ve lived long enough to know better. I work hard at my optimism. Now, just like you, I face a new year and […]

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promises

Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead

November 24, 2010Blog

November 24, 2010 Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead – For better and worse, tomorrow is Turkey Day. Families and friends gather to mark another year, celebrate, feast and give thanks. People often reminisce on Thanksgiving. As a child, I also loved this holiday. It was a time to get dressed up, and mingle with […]

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not even Valentine's day

It Wasn’t Even Valentine’s Day

February 16, 2010Blog

February 16, 2010 It Wasn’t Even Valentine’s Day – On a more ordinary Wednesday, John asked his girlfriend, Susan to play hooky from work and to meet him at a favorite spot near the beach. “Bring a picnic lunch,” he said. “I’ll bring the champagne.” When Susan arrived at the designated corner, she found John […]

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older couple

How To Be Successful In This Marriage or Your Next One

February 18, 2009Blog

February 18, 2009 I’m having post-Valentine’s thoughts. Last week I wrote about my visit to a famous “OC” mall where I conducted a love survey. I remain amazed about what some people will tell an absolute stranger in a mall! One man, who was sort of hanging around and listening to what I was doing, […]

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vlaentine

Why Do Men Hate Valentine’s Day?

February 4, 2009Blog

February 4, 2009 Why Do Men Hate Valentine’s Day? – Men hate Valentine’s Day because it feels contrived and because it feels like it calls for some arbitrary display of love by which he will be judged. So why do women love Valentine’s Day? Because, even if it is contrived, it represents another opportunity to […]

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resolution

A New Kind of Resolution

December 29, 2008Blog

December 29, 2008 Want to have a perfectly happy 2009? Yes, I am talking about New Year’s resolutions… just not the kind you’re thinking about. How did you measure up this last year? Like it or not, New Years Day comes around on a regular basis to remind us of our successes, accomplishments and of […]

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betray

Can Friendship Betray Marriage?

December 14, 2008Blog

December 14, 2008 Can Friendship Betray Marriage? – Carol tells Betsy and Betsy tells Carol all the intimate details of their lives. All in the name of friendship. Carol insists – and so does Betsy — that her good mental health depends of this kind of sharing relationship. “Betsy accepts me just as I am,” […]

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lingerie

MEN: Don’t You Buy Lingerie for Her

November 17, 2008Blog

November 17, 2008 Someone I love sent me a Thanksgiving reminder. The message was to remember to live each day, each hour, to the fullest. And to not put off the good stuff. It didn’t exactly say to eat dessert first … but it was implied. The message was full of encouragement to never save […]

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